West Bend Vineyards Lucky Lucci

Two words sum it up: Fun, Dangerous. The gentleman who poured our tasting referred to this as a porch wine. I can't remember what grape it is founded on, perhaps chambourcin, but raspberry wine is added. It is somewhat sweet, but not cloying. We bought a bottle ($10.95). It has a sangria-like quality without the citrus peel and spices.

West Bend Vineyards Cabernet Franc

I smelled blueberries and raspberries in the bouquet of this wine. The palate was blueberries with a bit of mouthwatering acidity. This is a soft wine, much softer and much less tannic than the Hanover Park Cab Franc. I bought a bottle ($16.95), and it's pretty good stuff. It doesn't stand up to food like the HP, but it's awfully easy to drink.

West Bend Vineyards Pinot Noir

The nose had a bit of spice and cocoa and perhaps prunes. The palate had these flavors as well as some bitter coffee notes and a bit of acidity. Frankly, this is a weird wine. I didn't care for it, although that could conceivably change with a lot of breathing. It bore no resemblance to any Pinot Noir I've had. I'm not so sure this grape is happy in North Carolina.

West Bend Vineyards Barrel Chardonnay 2006

This chardonnay had a bigger bouquet, better integration and a longer finish than the stainless steel chard. I got figs, vanilla and a twang of acidity. It was mouthfilling and satisfying, and I got a bottle for $19.95(the wife was particularly fond of it).

West Bend Vineyards Viognier 2006

As one would expect from a Viognier, the bouquet of this one is perfumy and floral. The mouthfeel is rich and almost oily, and the flavors are figs and apricots with a wee bit of oak. This is a nice wine.

West Bend Vineyards Chardonnay 2006

This is West Bend's unoaked chardonnay. It is a clean, very drinkable wine with flavors of pear and vanilla. There is a bit of tartness there which is quite appetizing. Of the unoaked NC chardonnays I've had so far, I think I like this one best.

West Bend Vineyards Yadkin Fumé 2006

This Sauvignon Blanc has a clean nose and palate. There are notes of pineapple there, and it is clean and well balanced. I'd say it is pretty much free of faults, but it is also not terribly interesting. Many people prefer that quality in a wine, but I'm too much of a geek to be satisfied with that.

RayLen Shiraz 2006 Update

On the way to Lake Norman, we stopped in at Snook's Barbeque. Naturally, we had to grab some wine to go with our 'cue, so I got a bottle of Shiraz and one of Cab Franc.

This wine, somewhat spicy and smoky, is indeed a great partner to a pulled pork sandwich. That elusive menthol note helps the wine go with food. It also helps that the sun is shining, and I'm sitting next to a lake.

Grilled Pork and Mourvedre

The Hanover Park Mourvedre 2003 went so delightfully with grilled pork chops and zucchini. I can't wait to taste HP's subsequent vintages; their vines are still young and will produce better and better fruit. A hallmark of a good wine (in my humble opinion) is a quality of changing on the palate with different bites of food and with time over the course of an evening. This wine really stays interesting through a meal. Fruit, oak, velvety tannins, and the fact that it's a unique, regional product all make me very happy that I sought it out.

Hanover Park Vin D'Orange

This is another fortified wine, but it is an amber/honey color. The aroma is of orange marmalade, with a bit of vanilla and a very Christmas-like aspect to it. This is the first time I used the word "wow" in my notebook. It's rich and nectar-like, as a cordial would be. It's almost oily in texture. It made me instantly imagine myself sipping it after a sumptuous holiday meal; it has a candied citrus peel overtone that is very pleasing. We got a bottle to put away for Thanksgiving or Christmas ($25.00/375ml).

Hanover Park Port Hanover

As a port lover, I was curious to try this one. It has a rich bouquet that is redolent with prunes, ripe cherries, plum preserves and toasted nuts. The palate mirrors this, with a rich texture. There is a bit of an edge from the alcohol, but I really enjoyed this. This port is made from Chambourcin, but my tasting guide did not know precisely what type of brandy was used to fortify it. I've had smoother ports, but they were made by companies that have been doing it quite a few decades longer. We bought a bottle ($16.99/375ml).

Hanover Park Blueberry

This wine involves a Chardonnay base and blueberry juice. It smells like blueberry jam, and it tastes much like it smells. A nice little acidic tang keeps it from being cloying. This is an instantly gratifying dessert wine.

Hanover Park Early Twilight

This has a wonderful, perfumy nose of apricots, jasmine and vanilla with a fresh grape note (one of the grapes used here is Niagara, a type of vitis labrusca). It's very accommodating, with a bit of a grape Jolly Rancher character. Not complex on the palate, but very pleasurable.

Hanover Park Rosé

No vintage is indicated. This smells of strawberries and cotton candy. It is semi-sweet and punch-like. It is uncomplicated and probably dangerously easy to guzzle down. It would probably make a very enjoyable sangria.

Hanover Park Courtney Red 2004

This one was really fun. It conjures up strawberries and ripe watermelon from a roadside produce stand. It's quite nice, and it is not cloying. We were also served a sample of a sangria made with this wine; it was absolutely delicious.

Hanover Park Michael's Blend 2003

This is described as a Bordeaux-style blend. I smelled cherries, nuts and a bit of black licorice. The alcohol and acidity were nicely in balance. This was the smoothest of the reds I tasted at this winery. It's a pity that a pork tenderloin wasn't nearby.

Hanover Park Cabernet Franc 2004

I spent a number of years working for Starbucks in Southern California. When I worked the opening shift, putting the pastries in the display case was a major task. The reason I mention this is the fact that this Cabernet Franc greeted my nose like the cherry almond scones. The palate is smooth, velvety and tart. I liked this wine a lot, and we bought a bottle ($15.99). Foodwise, I might wait until it gets cold and have this with pot roast.

Hanover Park Chambourcin 2004

This bottle was opened mere moments before being poured for us, so the bouquet hadn't had time to open up yet. I got whiffs of blackberry and maybe tobacco (it was subtle). The palate is spicy and a bit tart, with a dark background- kind of meaty, in a way. I think this is a good food wine, but I didn't have any ribs handy.

Hanover Park Mourvedre 2003

I was told that the owners of the winery really enjoyed this grape as a result of their travels in France. They decided to plant it here, and I'm glad they did. The aroma is peppery, and I smelled something that really reminded me of Christmas baking spices. It has a lean, dry palate and a lengthy, tart finish. We bought a bottle (my wife particularly liked this one, too), and I look forward to drinking it at home. It seems to me to be a good food wine. Kebabs of lamb or goat, marinated with cumin, cinnamon and oregano will probably be the dish. $15.99

This tasty grape also goes by the names Mataro and Monastrell (I've had a good Spanish wine made from it).

Hanover Park Barrel Chardonnay 2006

This is the oaked version of their chardonnay. As I expected, I like this one a bit better because I like the added complexity. Things I got out of this wine include orange marmalade, wood and a wee bit of vanilla. It's nice and dry, too. The food that comes to mind is pan-seared tilapia with some mango salsa.

Hanover Park Unoaked Chardonnay 2006

Classic, albeit restrained, chardonnay aroma of buttery figs and vanilla. It's a clean, simple wine with a pleasing tang of lemon in the finish. I'd like to have this with some broiled catfish.

Hanover Park Viognier 2006

This wine has a sweet bouquet that reminded me of apricots and cinnamon. The palate is clean, with some nice acidity and a brief finish. I liked it, and so did the two locals who came in and enjoyed a bottle at the table in the tasting room.

Visit to Hanover Park Vineyard

We had a really good time here. The people were so nice, the wines were delicious and I think it's cool when a couple of tattooed bikers walk in and drink a bottle of Viognier. I picked a cool state to live in.
I'll put up my tasting notes tomorrow. It's getting late, and I have to go to work tomorrow. BAH!

Raylen Pale Red

Quite fun, and only ten bucks. It's not cloyingly sweet, but I wouldn't drink a lot of this one by itself. Strawberries and ripe watermelon are what this wine are all about. The gentleman who led the tasting was talking about someone who makes fruit smoothies with this. You could get into all sorts of trouble with this one.

RayLen Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

This wine has an inviting, plummy, meaty aroma. The palate is rich with bright berry fruit, but there is a nice underlayment of wood. I enjoyed this one. A ribeye would probably go nicely here.

RayLen Eagle's Select 2005

This Bordeaux-style blend (primarily Cabernet Sauvignon) spends 18 months in new French oak. It has a clean cherry bouquet with some wood. The palate is nicely balanced with the tannins and alcohol forming a nice structure for the cherry/blackcurrant fruit. This tastes like it would stand up well with food (perhaps lamb).

Raylen Category 5 2006

Dark purple color. It has a classic Cabernet Sauvignon nose (dried blackcurrants). It's smooth on the palate, with a richness that reminded me of butter or even bacon. The finish is lengthy. The word "noble" came to mind. I bought a bottle of this one ($18.00).

Raylen Cabernet Franc 2005

To the nose, this wine has cherries, vanilla and flowers. It's a dry, bracing wine with a dimension of oak to it. There is a tartness to it that reminds me of chianti, and it has a dry, clean finish. We bought a bottle and drank it later that day with grilled teriyaki chicken breasts, baked beans, garlic bread and corn on the cob. It worked quite well, and it definitely improved with some time to breathe. $15.00

RayLen Merlot 2005

The bouquet of this one reminded me of plums with a hint of cedar. It's a rather dry, smooth wine. Most red wine drinkers would find nothing to dislike about this one. I liked it, but I tend to gravitate toward bigger, funkier wines.

RayLen Shiraz 2006

Nose-chile peppers. Yes, that's what I smelled. It is a big, spicy, smoky wine with an aromatic, almost minty overtone. I didn't buy a bottle of this one, and now I'm not sure why. It would have been great with pork barbecue. I'm going to get some next time I visit (Shiraz/Syrah is one of my favorite grapes).

RayLen Carolinius 2004

This wine (a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah) had a bold bouquet- notes of cherries, meat and cigar box. The palate, however, was not as big as the bouquet. Not a bad wine, but I wonder how it will stand up to food.

RayLen Riesling 2007

I smelled pears and honeysuckle here. It has a classic Riesling palate with a nice, rich apricot overtone. I might have to try this with a pork sandwich from Snook's, just down the road from the winery (I like to dump a lot of Texas Pete on my sandwich).

RayLen Yadkin Gold 2005

This wine is a blend of Riesling, Viognier and Chardonnay. I got such things as apricot, melon, vanilla and melon. This one has just a bit of sweet richness to it, and I agree with the RayLen website's suggestion that this is a picnic wine.

RayLen SMV Chardonnay 2006

This one was one of the highlights of my visit to this winery. The grapes come from the South Mountain Vineyard in Burke County.
The nose was bigger than the regular barrel chardonnay, with a more perfumy character. I smelled figs, butter, apricots and some subtle suggestion of meat (in a good, appetizing way). The palate is clean, with plenty of everything in the bouquet. Nice, long finish. I bought a bottle of this one($15).

RayLen Viognier 2004

The bouquet has a floral, vanilla quality. The mouthfeel is honeyish and almost oily, and there is a bit of an herbal note. I could imagine drinking this with a pile of steamed mussels.

RayLen Barrel Chardonnay 2006

This is Raylen's oaked chardonnay. The bouquet has figs, butter, vanilla and perhaps flowers. When it comes to oak vs stainless steel in chardonnay, I seem to be an oak man. This is a very satisfying wine, with a bit more complexity, depth and finish than the unoaked version.

RayLen Chardonnay 2005

This is RayLen's unoaked version of chardonnay. The nose has the classic chardonnay elements of butter and vanilla with an added hint of cedar and cinnamon. It's a nice, refreshing wine with some nice apricot/pear flavors and a bit of acidity.

RayLen Pinot Grigio 2006

Nose- melons, butter and a suggestion of spices (cinnamon?)
This was a nice, clean, white wine. It's not very complex, and the finish is brief, but that's part of the refreshing nature of this grape. It had a nice freshness to it.

RayLen Sparkling Brut

I tasted this at the winery. It was simply labeled "Sparkling Wine" on the tasting sheet, and the website refers to it as "Sparkling Brut" It is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, and we were told that at least some of its vinification takes place in Asheville because RayLen lacks the equipment required for certain aspects of making sparkling wine.

It had a crisp, apply aroma with a whiff of yeast. It's quite a nice sparkler- bracing, clean and dry. Not a ton of complexity, but it's a good example of sparkling wine. I would have bought a bottle, but it's just a tad steep at $23.99.

Childress Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon North Carolina Reserve 2005

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19%Syrah
13.4% Alcohol
$23.99 at Taylor's Fine Wine and Grocery

Color: Crimson, almost ruby
Nose: Alcohol (I probably could have let it breathe longer), a bit of tobacco behind the cherries and plums. I sniffed a background of oak and cedar, and an aromatic eucalyptus note.
Palate: This wine is not as big as it smells. It's clean, with an added dose of that cedar and eucalyptus. Tart cherries and tobacco, like the bouquet, but with a mouthwatering acidity in the finish.

It went pretty well with our dinner of pan-seared pork chops, black eyed peas with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, and spinach salad with dried blueberries. Sometimes the wine displayed a cocoa powder sort of a thing when in combination with the food.

Not a bad wine, but the balance isn't quite where I'd want it. A little less of the cedar, a little less (but not too much less) acidity, and more body would make it great. Anyway, it's interesting and it stands up well.

Childress Vineyards Website

First Post

I've decided to get a bit more organized and motivated with my love of the grape. I love wines from all over the world, but I'd like to be part of the rise of wine in my adopted home state. The number of wineries is increasing, but I'd like to put up some semi-objective tasting notes to separate the good stuff from the cough syrup. Here is my mission statement:

1)I will taste wines made in North Carolina, preferably made entirely from North Carolina fruit.
2)I will endeavor to describe a wine within the context of its grape(s)'s style and vinification in other parts of the world.
3)Despite #2, I will write about NC wines from the standpoint of this being a unique wine region.
4)I will not pontificate. I'll try not to, anyway.
5)Wine is for pleasure. I do not collect wine or view it as an investment.
6)Snobbery is evil. Wine is a beverage of the people.
7)I will use my lack of professional wine background as an excuse to have maximum fun with this.
8)If I see people in a tasting room being pretentious, stupid or tasteless, I can't promise that I won't make fun of them here.